Oh Paris...

Well two days in I still can't shake the feeling I always get here. It's like it should be perfect yet other than fleeting moments of amusement I just cannot enjoy Paris the same way that I can in Barcelona or New York. I think it's because I'm still insecure about speaking french with french people for prolonged durations (aka anyone more than a clerk). I don't know.

It's so gorgeous here. I strolled down from the 18eme, which is in the far north of Paris intra-muros (within the ancient city walls, aka the main city), to the 3eme and the 4eme. (These are districts, "arrondissements" in french, btw) I meandered through them, window shopping and picking up a few books and post cards here and there. However I couldn't escape the lingering sense of ennui.

So I've finally decided, I'm an extrovert. Nice transition you say. Segues were never my thing. I always believed I was an introvert because growing up I never had many close friends that I would do things with after school, especially since my parents were divorced so I was at a different house every other night. Anyway, because I spent so much time alone I guess I got used to it, and eventually with solitude came a sense of normalcy. This continued throughout high school, especially since I was written off as the smart-kid (and ostracized as such).

However, Duke completely changed that. For the first time I found friends who captivated me and enjoyed my company as much I enjoyed theirs. Over the course of my freshman year my normal became a constant battle between studying, hanging out with my friends, and find the solitude I thought I needed. My first semester I sequestered myself away every weekend after the O-week glow wore off. But this just exacerbated my stress and made me feel like I was missing out on the best part of college, the part I so loved in the weeks following O-week. And why was I missing out? because I thought I had to have to have time to recharge, relax, refresh.

But Paris has finally convinced me (tying it all together) that I need people more than pensive reflection. While I love balayer (to stroll aimlessly), I need someone here. I'm independent enough that I'm totally fine getting by and exploring the city (I've walked about 15 miles so far), but without a companion it just becomes a lot of haussmanian facades and anecdotes.

My second semester at Duke I discovered the friends I've always wanted and began to live life with reckless abandon. And I loved every minute of it. That's why from now on I have to travel with friends, my painful experience with semi-friend travel earlier this year showed me that you can't just take anyone you know on a trip. You have to genuinely enjoy their company, and if you do you've got the best vacation of your life ahead of you (ex: read my last post).

Ultimately, it's been awesome coming to Paris and I've had a great chance to reexamine my attitudes on life and my place in the world, but I'm ready to go on to Normandie, Grasse, and Coulommiers. A city is only as good as the memories you fill it with. I need people. (Though I did spend the day with a marvelous Italian couple yesterday. Made all the more terrific by their generous gifts of food and drink).

After writing this I feel very Parisian: brooding, questioning, and rambling.

A bientot

When stumbling through an attic...

Well I forgot this existed. What a pleasant Summer's Day present (not a real holiday, I was as shocked as you are).
First, wow I was an ambitious and slightly pretentious 16 year-old. I think I've amplified the former and tuned out the latter over the last two years (or so I hope).

I guess it's useless to try to cover everything that has happened in the last two years in one post, so I'll let the Ominous Specter Of Where I've Been haunt on.

For now, let's talk about the events leading up to my Navy training.

I came home to Austin, TX after finishing my freshman year at Duke and had about two weeks to chill out in preparation for CORTRAMID (I have no idea what this stands for...). I had planned to read, work out, rehab my knee, cook, and revitalize my life. Instead I cemented my long-term relationship with Netflix and sporadic exercise. I must say that I did have one of the best days of my life with Ashley Helms.

-point of order- *Is my long lost twin* -point of order-

We met up at 10 am the Saturday before I flew out to San Diego for navy training. How we met and how she came to Austin is honestly one of those "It was destiny" romance-novel-esque sojourns. We met in passing while waiting for our pre-frosh to arrive and I, as a total stalker, was like "What's your last name, I'll add you on facebook." 'Twas given and we remained almost complete strangers who happened to be friends on FB. Then one day she posted a status about Austin, and in a fit of desperate boredom asked her if she was from Austin. Her response was both unexpected and electrifying. She was not from Austin, but had a lake house on Lake Travis (where I live!) and she HAD to come out to visit Austin and show me around. Her act of generosity did not go unappreciated and I jumped at the chance to get out of the house and see the city. Now once she picked me up we quickly realized that this was fate, almost as much as her and Whataburgers, and that we were literally the same person (as confirmed when I said, "I like Gaga..." *interruption* "Yeah I figured you wouldn't like Ke$..." "but I'm a Ke$ha man at heart" "WHAAAATTT!" And after that moment we knew that we would forever be inseparable {except when sperated}. We toured all over Austin. She told me stories of 60-year old couples dressed up in Angel & Demon costumes dragging steaks, a passed out tranny that runs for mayor (Leslie, google him), and the wonders of ACL (Austin City Limits). I in turn shared my love for the Frost tower. We continued around the city reveling in each other's company until it became too hot to wander any longer. So we were like, "Let's go boating!" So we went boating.

And it was glorious. 2 19-year olds + a giant lake + a gorgeous Nautique = Heaven. We finished our perfect day at this epic burger joint called Johnny Finns-delicious-, where these kids literally tried to catch fish using fry baskets attached to fishing poles. One kid even brazenly hoped onto, and then off of, our table on his way in from a hard evening of fry fishing. Meanwhile an amazingly loud band of UT '74 grads played some sort of rock. The whole thing was just amazing, in a way that you can't imagine. Oh and the best part was the drunken recent UT grads and the Korean Bachlorette party in the far corner. After a certain point Ashley and I didn't even need to talk (the blaring music facilitated this), we would just stare, laugh, look at each other, laugh some more, stare some more, eat, laugh, eat, chuckle, stare, laugh. It was quite an amazing cycle. Honestly, in those moments I wished that the night would never end. Unfortunately, it had to come to an end. On the way back we watched an incredible Texas-style T-Storm (giant arc lightning without any trace of rain, yay deserts!) and jammed out to the random stuff on my Ipod (I'm getting paper, Take it Off, Monster).

Most regrettably while Ashley was taking me home, our awesomeness distracted us and led us into a car accident. The lady that hit us was freaked out of her mind, but everyone was okay. Ashley and I played it cool and the whole thing wrapped up decently, though I felt terrible since I was the reason she was here in the first place.

My mom came out to pick us up and help out. We hung around for a bit waiting on the po po to do their thing, and then we dropped Ashley off. Tragically, she lives in Houston during the weekend so I have yet to see her again, but we will, very soon hopefully.

Afterwards I just chilled for a few days before it was time to fly out to San Diego, and that post, my friends, will take much longer to craft.